What Is Specialty Coffee? A Beginner’s Guide
If you’ve visited an independent café recently, you’ve probably heard the term specialty coffee. It appears on menus, packaging, and coffee shop websites — often alongside tasting notes, origin stories, and brewing methods.
But what does specialty coffee actually mean? Is it just a marketing buzzword, or is there a real difference between specialty coffee and standard commercial coffee?
This beginner-friendly guide explains what specialty coffee is, how it’s graded, how it tastes different, and why it has become one of the biggest movements shaping modern coffee culture.
What Does “Specialty Coffee” Mean?
Specialty coffee refers to high-quality coffee beans that meet strict standards for flavour, sourcing, and production. The term isn’t just about being “premium” — it’s a recognised classification within the coffee industry.
Coffee is generally considered specialty when it scores 80 points or higher on a 100-point scale during professional tasting (known as cupping), using criteria established by international coffee organisations.
These coffees are typically:
Carefully grown and harvested
Traceable to specific farms or regions
Free from major defects
Selected for flavour clarity and character
In simple terms, specialty coffee focuses on quality, transparency, and taste.
How Is Specialty Coffee Different from Regular Coffee?
Most supermarket or chain coffee falls into the commercial coffee category. This doesn’t mean it’s bad — but it’s usually produced for consistency and affordability rather than distinctive flavour.
Here’s how specialty coffee stands apart:
Quality
Specialty coffee uses higher-grade beans, often hand-picked to remove defects and ensure uniform ripeness.
Traceability
You’ll often know exactly where the coffee came from — sometimes down to the individual farm or producer.
Freshness
Specialty coffee is typically roasted in smaller batches and sold fresher than mass-produced coffee.
Flavour
Instead of generic “coffee taste,” specialty coffee highlights natural flavours like fruit, chocolate, caramel, nuts, or floral notes.
How Is Specialty Coffee Graded?
Professional coffee tasters evaluate beans through a process called cupping. They assess several factors, including:
Aroma
Flavour
Acidity
Body
Balance
Aftertaste
Sweetness
Cleanliness
Each category contributes to a total score out of 100. As a general rule:
80–84.99 = Specialty coffee
85–89.99 = High-grade specialty
90+ = Exceptional or competition-level coffee
This scoring system ensures that specialty coffee has measurable standards rather than relying purely on marketing claims.
What Does Specialty Coffee Taste Like?
One of the biggest differences beginners notice is flavour complexity.
Instead of a single strong or bitter taste, specialty coffee often has:
Brighter acidity
Natural sweetness
Clear, distinct flavour notes
A smoother finish
For example, a single-origin Ethiopian coffee might taste like berries or citrus, while a Brazilian coffee could have chocolate or nutty tones.
Flavour depends on many factors — origin, processing method, roast level, and brewing technique — which is why specialty coffee often feels more diverse and interesting.
The Role of Baristas and Roasters
Specialty coffee isn’t just about beans. It’s a chain of skilled people working together:
Farmers grow and process coffee with care.
Roasters develop flavour through precise roasting profiles.
Baristas dial in grind size, brewing time, and milk texture to serve the coffee at its best.
This collaboration is sometimes called the “seed to cup” approach — focusing on quality at every stage.
Why Is Specialty Coffee More Expensive?
Higher prices reflect several factors:
Better pay and conditions for producers
Smaller batch production
Higher-quality equipment and training
More labour-intensive farming and processing
While specialty coffee may cost more per cup, many people find the improved taste and ethical sourcing worth it.
How to Start Exploring Specialty Coffee
If you’re new to specialty coffee, you don’t need to overthink it. Start simple:
Try a flat white or filter coffee at a reputable independent café.
Ask the barista about flavour notes or origin.
Experiment with different drinks or brewing methods.
Compare coffees from different regions.
Over time, you’ll develop your own preferences — and learn what styles you enjoy most.
Final Thoughts: More Than Just Better Coffee
Specialty coffee isn’t only about higher quality — it’s about connection. It links farmers, roasters, baristas, and customers through shared attention to detail and respect for the craft.
Whether you’re drinking coffee at home or visiting independent cafés, understanding specialty coffee helps you appreciate what’s in your cup and why it tastes the way it does.
And once you start exploring, you’ll quickly realise that coffee can be far more complex, varied, and enjoyable than you ever expected.
